Signal



Oct. 20, 1925- IllIHlllllllllllllllih g;

J. M. BENNINGHOFF SIGNAL Filed Jime s, 1922 3 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i '0 l i m 5 W/ A;

a Josef M3 as KW w? Patented Oct. 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,553,333v PATENT OFF-ICE.

JOSEPH m nnnmnenorr, or-Bmmn, omo.

smivAL.

Application filed June 5, 192. Serial No. 565,918.. 1

' To all whom it may concern."

from the detailed description to follow.

. broken away.

improvements in intervals between the displaying bf signals being uniformly timed.

Second, to provide an improved signal mechanism having these advantages which is simple and economical in structure and not likely to get out of repair.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, will definitely appear I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure. which is a preferred enibodiment of my invention isclearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which: i

Fig. l is a perspective view of my improved signal. Fig. ill is a cal section on a line corresponding to line 2-2 of Figs. HI and TV.

Fig. HT is a vertical section on a line corresponding to line -3-3 of Fig. TV, the upper end of the shaft and standard being Fig. TV is a I corres ending to the broken line 4-4 of Fig. ll. V

Fig. V is a detail view partially in vertical section showing the driving wheel in en agement with the star wheel, the parts. about to complete a shifting operation.

Fig. Vlis a diagrammatic view of the electric wiring; v

Fig. VII is a detail vertical section illustrating details'of the electrical connections.

In the drawing similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views,. and the sectional views are ing taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring to the drawing, I provide a detail View partially. in vertihorizontal section on a line housing 1 which constitutes a base, the housing being provided with a door 2 having 7' a lock 3, so. that only authorized persons have access to the mechanism within the housing. p i

Within the housing is a base 4: carrying a tubular standard 5 on theupper end of wvhich is a lamp 6.. The' tubular shaft 7 is rotatably mounted upon the standard 5 and carries the. lantern or lam housing 8 and the signal member 9 having t e words Stop and Go thereon. The lamp housing is rectangular in cross section and is provided with panes 10 which may be colored as desired, as, for, instance, a red pane for the Stop side and a white pane for the Go side.

The circuit wires 11 for the lamp arear ranged longitudinally of the standard. At

the base; of the standard is a ratchet-like positioning cam member 12'having four ratchet-like cams. The shaft 7 is provided with a meeting positioning member 13 riding on the cam member 12 so that as the shaft 7 is rotated the cams of the'member 13 ride upon the member 1% and drop from their high points, thus serving to position the signals; I

A coil spring 15 is arranged on the shaft within the housing, the upper end of thesprin being-supported by the thrustcollar 16 a justably mounted on tlieisli'aft by means of the set screws 17. This spring prevents overthrowof the shaft, although the weight of the shaft and the parts carried thereby act to the same end. The shaft is driven with a step by step movement, the shaft being provided with .a star wheel 18 which is engaged by the tapp'et 19 on the driving wheel 20 as the driving wheelrevolves, thereby securing a step by step rotation of the shaft. The tappet 19 is preferably a roller to minimize friction. The

driving wheel 20 is connected to the motor 21jby means of a'train of gears, designated generally by the numeral. 22, the ,train of gears being such that the shifting of the signal is properly timed. 3

A switch 23 is provided within the housing to controlthe motor. A switch 24 con: trols the lamp. Of course it is not necessary that the lamp shall be lighted during the daylight hours. The wiring is shown diagrammatically in Fig. VI.

The signal is connected to the source ofelectrical supply through the wire indicated at 25. The signal member 9.constit'utes a housin for These iamps are connected by the cables 2? to the contact rings 28 set in the insulating plate :29. Contact rings 30 carried by the I plate 31 mounted on the shaft 5 are provided to coact with the rings The rings 30 are connected by the branch cables 32 to the main cable 11. With the parts thus ar= ranged the swinging of the signal member 9 does not break the eiectrical connections for its lamps.

I preferably provide a street sign 33 provided with a lamp 3%, shown in the dia grammatic Fig. Vi, the street sign being controlled by the switch 35.

' My improved signal is entirely automatic in its operation, the parts being designed with a view of durability and positiveness of operation.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe certain adaptations or modifications which I contemplate, as I believe the dis-- closure made will enable those skilled in the art to. which my invention relates to embody on adapt the same as may be desired.

aving thus what I claim as by Letters Patent, is:

' l. in a device of the class described, the combination of a housing, constituting a base, a standard projecting upwardly from said housing, a tubular shaft r'otatably mounted on said standard, an actuated member mounted on said shaft, a ratchetlike positioning cam mounted within said housing at the base of said standard, 'a ratchet-like positioning member on the lower end of said shaft riding upon said positioning cam, a star wheel on said shaft having teeth corresponding with the cams of said positioning member, a driving wheel provided with a tappet adapted to engage with a tooth of said star wheel on described my invention,

the illuminating lamps 26..

new and desire to secure with the cams of said positioning in positioning cam mounted within said hous ing at the base of said standard, a ratchetlike positioning member on the lower end of said shaft riding upon said positioning cam, a star wheel on said shaft having teeth corresponding with the cams of said positioning member, and driving means including a driving wheel provided with a tappet adapted to engage with a tooth of said star Wheel on each revolution whereby shaft is rotated with a step by step movement.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a housing, a base, a standard projecting upwardly from said housin a tubular shaft rotatabl Y mounted on said standard, an actuated member mounted on said shaft, a ratchet-like positioning cam mounted within said housing at the base of said standard, a ratchet-like positioning member on the lower end of said shaft ll ing upon said positioning cam, a stai wheel on said shaft having teeth corresponding labor, a spring mounted on said shaft within said housing, said shaft being provided with a thrust collar for said spring, and driving means including a driving Wh el provided wvith tappet adapted. to engage with tooth of said star wheel on each revolution my hand and seal.

JOSEPH M. BENNKNGHGFF. [n a] 

